Dragonborn
:"You're Dragonborn. The rules don't apply to you. You can Shout the way dragons do... without training, through inborn instinct." — Ulfric Stormcloak A (or ) is a mortal blessed with the Blood and soul of a dragon by Akatosh, the Father of Dragons and chief of the . 's dialogue in Skyrim}} Those with the blessing have an extraordinary aptitude in the use of the , being able to absorb knowledge of shouts directly from the souls of slain dragons. This ability breeds fear and hatred in dragons, as the removal of their soul severs their immortality and renders them beyond the reach of any . The first known Dragonborn was , a of the who used the thu'um in an unsuccessful revolt against his masters. }} However, the title itself is most often associated with the "Dragonborn Emperors" of Tamriel, who were in a divine covenant with Akatosh which maintains the barriers between and Oblivion. }} Dragonborn Emperors :"So long as the Blood of the Dragon runs strong in her rulers, the glory of the Empire shall extend in unbroken years." — from the liturgy of the Re-Kindling of the Dragonfires Any subject of the Empire prior to the would say they were ruled by the "Dragonborn Emperors", but very few understood what that title meant. }} Its usage stretches back to Saint Alessia, who founded the Cyrodilic Empire in a First Era covenant with Akatosh. The Dragon God imbued Alessia's line with blood from his own heart, initiating a sacred compact which kept the Dragonfires lit and Oblivion's influence barred from Mundus, so long as those of the Dragon Blood wore the Amulet of Kings. Ever since, the legitimate rulers of the Empire have been called Dragonborn: Alessia's successors, and , and finally the . Indeed, the title is particularly associated with himself, perhaps because he made notable use of the thu'um in his early conquests. }} Only these true rulers, approved by Akatosh, could wear the Amulet of Kings and light the Dragonfires. In addition, they enjoyed the protection and service of the , descended from the Akaviri Dragonguard, who follow the Dragonborn as "the ultimate dragonslayer." The line of Dragonborn rulers was abruptly severed through assassination at the end of the , leading to the as the Dragonfires went out. Eventually, the last of the Septim bloodline sacrificed himself and the Amulet to permanently restore the liminal barrier. The that subsequently seized control of the Empire lacks the Dragonborn trait, but with the broke out in with the Dynasty collasped and with the rise of the . The title of Dragonborn continues with Tiber Septim's descendant , which she made notable use of the thu'um in her early career and onto her reign to her death, and her successors to contuning the Septim-Dragon bloodline to the . And with the advent of the prophesied Last Dragonborn, it is unlikely there will be any further Dragonborn Emperors. Dragonborn Heroes :Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honor is sworn, :''To keep evil forever at bay! :''And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, :''Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! — The Dragonborn plays a prominent role in the legends of the s of Skyrim, who tell tales of heroes who would "kill dragons and steal their power". It is not known how many Dragonborn have arisen over the course of history. The of warned that many of them met their downfall because the ease with which they learned the thu'um made them arrogant. The Greybeards attempt to inculcate the values of the , and strongly disapprove of the violent use of thu'um in general, but tolerate it among those who have been blessed by the gods. With the return of the dragons in came the emergence of the first Dragonborn hero since Tiber Septim to be summoned by the Greybeards for training. In the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, this Last Dragonborn learned to master the thu'um and defeated . Notes *St. Alessia was commonly regarded as the first Dragonborn recorded in history until Miraak, the true "First Dragonborn", made himself known in the Fourth Era. *The was referred to as "Dragon-born" in The Lost Prophecy. If this is meant as a literal interpretation or, as asserts, that it indicated the Nerevarine would be born under the banner of the , is unknown. Gallery File:LG-cardart-Miraak,_Dragonborn.png|Miraak, the first Dragonborn File:OB-Statues-Tiber_Septim.jpg|A statue of Tiber Septim, the first of the Septim Dragonborn File:SR-npc-Pelagius_the_Mad.jpg|Pelagius Septim III of the Septim Dynasty File:OB-npc-Emperor_Uriel_Septim.jpg|Uriel Septim VII, the last Dragonborn Emperor File:OB-npc-Martin_02.jpg|Martin Septim, the last member of the Septim Dynasty File:IN-Statues-Marcella Septim.jpg|A Statue of Marcella Septim, the first female Septim Dragonborn File:LG-cardart-Young_Dragonborn.png|A young Dragonborn See Also *For game-specific information, see the Skyrim article. Books * * References